ESSAY The capstone of the evening was the presentation of the ISNA Lifetime Achievement Award to Salwa Abd-Allah, a pioneer in Islamic education at Sister Clara Mohammed Schools, and a regular go-to person for Islamic guidance. Her family was in attendance and the audience admirably acknowledged her achievements, which includes decades of pioneering Islamic education and guidance for converts. The keynote speaker Imam Suhaib Webb, who studied education in college, spoke of the sunnah and how, “Allah says if you’re a teacher you’re like mala’ika (angel).” He addressed the nature of the studentteacher relationship, and the importance of patience, advising, “Make sure you’re patient in your heart and with them.” Participants happily addressed the cohesiveness and success of the conference. Jawdah Jorf, principal of Edmonton Islamic Academy (EIA), “You are in a conference in a common ground. All the attendees share the same challenges. And we share the same vision and faith” she said. Montaha Maymour, head of the Arabic department at EIA, who was so excited to see fellow educators at the conference, said, “I felt like you learned a lot from the people around you.” A love of both faith and education was the uniting factor for this Education Forum and others to come. Additional forum attractions included a bazaar with educational materials and Islamic clothing. A matrimonial session took place on Saturday, which also attracted people from across the country.
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Eman Shurbaji is a freelance feature writer from Bakersfield, Calif.
Seeking a
Full-Time Imam
at the Islamic Society of Greenville, Greenville, South Carolina. Minimum qualifications: Hafiz, fluent in English, and degree in Islamic studies. Send resume to: Farruk2002@hotmail.com
ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2014
My Ramadan Experience in America BY ETHAR HAMID EDITOR’S NOTE: This May, ISNA held a Ramadan essay contest, inviting readers to share their Ramadan experience in the United States. Ethar Hamid’s submission won first place.
I
don’t know if anyone has ever noticed this, before, but even the streets at nighttime have a heightened sense of spirituality about them, during Ramadan. Driving along the empty roads, there is an aura of soothing calm amidst the inky blackness. A part of me is secretly envious of the month of Ramadan, with its constant serenity. Why can’t I be at continuous peace? America may seem like an unlikely environment for any such tranquility, but then again, Ramadan is what you make of it—not where you spend it. Something that always makes me feel Ramadan—really feel it, in my heart—is hearing my dad read the Quran. He reads it to himself, on the couch, in a quiet voice, but I can’t help but believe that the whole house benefits from his recitation. At those moments, my awareness of Allah is amplified, and in a way, I don’t know where I am—I could be in Makkah…I could be in Sudan, with my grandma…I could be in Finland. I’m in a special place with the words of the Quran, just floating along and not minding where the joy takes me. At moments like those, is it of any importance that I am physically in Virginia? Spiritually, I am in a place far removed from there, aren’t I? It seems more appropriate to say that I am in the jannah of the dunya. Allah s.w.t. is always with us, and He is ever watchful. I don’t think Allah s.w.t. cares whether we are circumambulating the Ka’bah during Ramadan or if we find ourselves at the opposite end of the world—I think He cares where our hearts are, if you know what I mean. Having said all of that, my experiences of Ramadan in the United States have actually been better—more fulfilling—than my experiences in a Muslim country, in which I have spent a number of Ramadans. I’m not sure what it is, exactly…it’s hard to put a finger on it. Something about the air is sweeter here during this season that in the Muslim country where I have spent some Ramadans. Maybe it’s the fact that here in the U.S., Muslims are outside of their comfort zones as they face tough circumstances, but many of them still hold fast to their deen. And when Ramadan comes, they still rejoice and devote themselves wholeheartedly to Allah. So maybe the inner jihad that Muslims go through in the U.S. mixes with the air and creates an outcome that smells sweeter than musk…I don’t really know. But I do know something. When I stand (with my fellow brothers and sisters) in taraweeh during the sacred month of Ramadan, when I read the Quran, and when I make du’a to Allah, s.w.t., I know that Ramadan is a special month that releases its blessings to those who try to attain them, most. May we all be of this kind of Muslim. Ameen… Ethar Hamid is a 20 year-old student from Sterling, Va., studying at George Mason University.
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